New words added to the dictionary in 2018

Did you know that the dictionary is updated every year? The dictionary publishers add words that have come to be used frequently in the media and in everyday life. Let’s learn some of the new English words from 2018.

life hack

A life hack is a clever or innovative tip for making a simple task of daily life easier. Many life hacks involve using common household items for new purposes, or doing something in a more convenient and effective way.

time suck

A “time suck” is any activity that can occupy a lot of time, when the time might be better spent doing other, more productive things. Social media and video games can be time sucks for many people.

bandwidth

The word bandwidth already existed in the dictionary, referring to radio frequencies. However, in 2018 the word bandwidth got a new definition – mental/emotional capacity to handle things. If you have a lot of activities and responsibilities, and someone asks you to take on a new task, you might say “Sorry, I just don’t have the bandwidth to take that on right now.” It means your mind and heart are already so full of concerns that there’s no more capacity to add one more thing.

rando

This is slang for “a random person,” but it is often used with a negative connotation to describe a strange or unwelcome person. For example, “My sister has been afraid of going to bars ever since some rando followed her home from a bar.”

hangry

This is a combination of the words “hungry” and “angry” – and it describes when someone is unusually irritable because they are hungry.

mocktail

To understand the word “mocktail,” first we need to understand the word “cocktail” – it refers to a drink made with alcohol and other flavorings/ingredients – for example, a margarita is made from tequila, orange liqueur, and lime juice. A mocktail is a mixed drink that is similar to a cocktail but with no alcohol.

tent city

When there is a large number of tents set up in an area to provide temporary shelter to homeless people or refugees, this is known as a tent city.

glamping

This word is a combination between the words “glamorous” and “camping.” It refers to camping in nature, but with extra comforts that you wouldn’t have in normal camping. For example, camping normally involves sleeping on the ground and using a fire to cook, but glamping might have a soft bed in a fancy tent or cabin, and access to electricity.

mansplain

Another word combination – “man” + “explain” = mansplain. This means when a man explains something to a woman in an arrogant way, talking to her as if she were stupid or lacked knowledge.

dumpster fire

This expression refers to a situation that is a COMPLETE disaster – especially one that was caused by bad management or poor performance. Let’s say you plan a surprise birthday party, but half the guests don’t arrive, you accidentally drop the birthday cake on the floor, and the birthday boy actually hates surprises. The party could be described as a dumpster fire.

unicorn

A unicorn is an imaginary animal – a horse with a horn in the middle of its forehead. This term is also now used to refer to a startup company that is valued at over one billion dollars. These types of companies are very rare.

co-parenting

When a married couple with kids separates or divorces, they may still co-parent – meaning share the responsibilities of raising the children, even though they are not married.